Quernstones

Fragments of unused or practised rotary querns were found during the excavation, and a saddle quarn (which are all on displayed on the site). The saddle quarn is an earlier type of quarn, the rotary quarn progressed from the iron age. They were used to grind grain. Milling was a very important activity, as bread and cereal stuffs were the main diet. It was very slow and labour intensive work, usually practised by the women and children.

Grain such as barley, rye and oats etc., were grown by the farmer, in the neighbouring fields and used to make bread and gruel. Gruel is a type of watery porridge, which is described in old texts as been the "smoothest and sweetest of all food". Peas, honey and herbs were often added to give it flavour. A cauldron of gruel would usually have been cooking over the fire continuously. Gruel was more common as it was easier and quick to make.

Bread was levelled, flattened constantly, no yeast. There are references of it being one fist thick. It was cooked and baked on hot stones near the fire or on a grilled over the fire. The preparation was very time-consuming, and labour intensive and finally cooked the bread.